The Network for European Social Policy Analysis (ESPAnet) is an association of academics involved or interested in the analysis of social policy in Europe. ESPAnet organizes on 31 Aug-3 Sept the 2021 an Online conference and the registration has now opened. https://kuleuvencongres.be/espanet2021

Are our European welfare states up for the future? Given worldwide changes in economic structures and balances, the acceleration of technological developments, substantial environmental risks and globally disruptive events as, for example, the COVID-19 pandemic, will they be able to uphold, and where necessary even extend, the range of social objectives they are known for in the world? Will their social policies succeed in effectively promoting sufficiently high living standards of their citizenry?

For the first time in its existence, the ESPAnet Annual Conference will be held online. This is to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and to respond to the various, perhaps longer-lasting, health, logistical and financial risks and challenges it poses for all the colleagues from all over Europe.

The stream 24. Social policy, culture and value change in Europe, organized by EVS members Edurne Bartolomé Peral and Morten Frederiksen, focuses on cultural and social values:

“Modernization processes and human development have led through history to a set of transformations in human mindset and value structures according to a range of value preferences and attitudes, which have adapted to new social, political, scientific and technological changes. There is a continuous adaptation process between culture and structure, as value orientations in a society act as orientation for the formulation of policies. We contextualize our proposal on the process of continued modernization of European societies in a new domain gaining societal and political relevance.

The study of values and value change in their different domains increases our understanding of European societies in regard to changing cultural notions of right and wrong and the direction the formulation of policies should follow to adapt to society ́s values and value change. This stream focuses on the analysis and reflection on how values are being configured across European societies (comparative perspective), how values are changing and readapting though the times (longitudinal perspective), how values are being studied and analysed (methodological perspective) and how values inspire, shape and come into conflict with social policies (policy perspective).

This stream proposes an organization of sessions according to value domains. Papers can be related to the analysis of values and value change, social policy papers matching the different domains and methodological papers for the study of values and/or social policies. Topics to be covered in the session include:

• Gender values and policies
• Diversity, solidarity, migration, welfare attitudes and values
• Beginning and end of life and its study in terms of values and policies (euthanasia, IVF,abortion, surrogacy)
• Environment, energy transition and climate change
• Methodological approaches and advances in the study of values and social policies”

Abstract submission (A list of all streams can be found on the conference website.)

The deadline for abstract submission: 18 April 2021.

Notification of acceptance: 31 May 2021. 

Final registration for paper presenters: 1 July 2021

Final registration for non-presenting participants: 22 August 2021